Top 5 Benefits of Hong Kong Company Registration
Hong Kong is a renowned global business city, especially as a centre of financial markets. After New York and London, Hong Kong is recognized as the third largest financial hub in the world and this could improve further after Standard & Poor’s rating for HK was improved to the highest triple A level rating. With a per capita GDP of approximately US,000 (IMF 2010 / current prices), Hong Kong’s results are similar to that of the European Union and ahead of many larger nations. Considering the importance of the financial sector to HK’s economy and the impact of the financial crisis, demonstrates why Hong Kong is a popular and valuable jurisdiction.
1. Social and Political Environment
Hong Kong holds impressive rankings in global business surveys such as being the most business efficient and the 2nd most economically efficient in the world (IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook). Hong Kong is also ranked as the 13th least corrupt country in the world (Transparency International – Corruption Perceptions Index 2010). Hong Kong has a stable economic and political environment with a pro-business government and an independent legal system. For these reasons it is not surprising that Hong Kong is a popular choice for regional operations in Asia, with 1,252 regional headquarters and 2,328 regional offices (Hong Kong SAR Government’s Census & Statistics Department).
2. Location
Strategically located in close proximity to China, Hong Kong plays a vital role in accessing the Mainland China market for many foreign entrepreneurs. Hong Kong is just one hour’s drive from the world’s largest manufacturing region, the Pearl River Delta, which produces 30% of China’s exports. Hong Kong accounts for a large share of inward investment to Mainland China and China is the largest trading partner for Hong Kong.
Hong Kong’s reputation as a global financial powerhouse attracts Chinese companies for primary and secondary listings to access Asia markets. During 2010, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE) became Asia’s second largest stock exchange in terms of market capitalization, behind the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE). HKSE overtook Shanghai Stock Exchange partly because many Chinese companies also see Hong Kong as an efficient avenue to expand business within Asia.
Being in the centre of Asia, HK is also efficient in terms of links to international markets. The Hong Kong airport is within 5 hours flight to all major trading jurisdictions in the region.
3. Infrastructure
Hong Kong is one of the most modern cities in the world. It is well equipped in terms of infrastructure such as transportation, telecommunications, IT connectivity and utilities. Combining the world-class international airport with efficient logistics facilities such as the cargo airport and shipping container port, makes HK attractive for international business that relies of efficient transport of human personnel and products around the world.
4. Policy and Taxes
Companies that incorporate in Hong Kong also benefit from its low and simple tax system. With a corporate tax rate of 16.5% (maximum) and personal income tax peaking at 15%, Hong Kong has the 3rd lowest tax misery in the world, as rated by Forbes’ Tax Misery Index. Company registration in HK also benefits from having no sales tax or VAT, capital gains tax, no withholding tax or dividends tax and ultimately, despite providing such significant tax benefits, Hong Kong is not perceived to be an international tax haven.
5. Company Registration Requirements
The Hong Kong company registration process is relatively straight forward. The main requirements for Hong Kong company formation are:
- confirming the company name and corporate structure
- confirm the details to meet the HK company law requirements which include: i) minimum one company director (doesn’t need to be resident in HK), a Hong Kong resident company secretary (director and secretary cannot be the same person), a minimum issued capital requirement of HK.
- Register the business
- Operational requirements such as opening a Hong Kong corporate bank account, setting up office (virtual office is an option), securing employment visas etc.
Hong Kong is an excellent location for international entrepreneurs to register their business. Besides benefitting from the geographic location to the booming China economy and an efficient tax system, Hong Kong is a diverse multi-cultural environment that is efficient for international business and exciting as a place to live.
Healy Consultants is a leading corporate services firm that assists entrepreneurs and investors with Hong Kong company registration requirements, along with other international jurisdictions. The firm provides a range of services for company incorporation, tax planning and offshore banking. More information on our global corporate services can be found by visiting www.healyconsultants.com
Article from articlesbase.com
Visit China to know more Chinese culture and Chinese food
China has an abundant supply of foodstuffs. She is famous for her refined art of the cooking and preparation of food. In this country great attention is paid to the naming of the immense variety of dishes that may be laid on the table. High store is set by the shape and color of the ultimate product to be presented for consumption and also for appreciation. The duration and degree of heating or cooking and the flavoring of the foods involved are also resolved meticulously. All this has rich philosophical implications and a solid historical background. For example, from remote past down to the present time, the Chinese culinary art lays emphasis on the need to preserve the natural shape of the foodstuff being processed if it is very beautiful, to preserve the original color if it can arouse an exquisite sense of delight, and to preserve the original taste if it is unique and flawless. The underlying principle is that food processing should only enhance, not reduce, the merit of the raw material.
For the processing of this kind of food special technical treatments will have to be resorted to according to the traits of the material involved so as to “keep the original juice with the original flavor” without any change in character. The cooking theory of the culinary art emphasizes that “foodstuffs have each its own taste and flavor, which should not be made homogeneous through mixing” and that “every material should be enabled to make its own contribution and every dish should present its own unique taste and flavor”. Some foodstuffs are very nutritious, but unfortunately they have the peculiar smell of fish or mutton. In processing this kind of foodstuff different condiments will have to be added and different cooking utensils used to carry out various technical treatments such as stewing, simmering, stir-frying, deep-frying, quick-frying, quick-frying with vinegar, boiling and steaming so that the peculiar smell may be eliminated, nutritional value preserved, and the original deliciousness given prominence to. China’s dietary culture has a very long history. It dates back to about 8,000 years ago, when people began to use mud for building pens in which they bred various animals including the six domestic animals well known to people everywhere, namely pig, ox, goat, horse, chicken and dog. Archeological study has proved that since that time there has occurred the extensive appearance in China of the cultivation of crops of the grass family such as millet, maize, rice, sorghum, hemp and flax. During the period of transition from the Qin to the Han Dynasty (221~200BC), barley, wheat and oats also came to be cultivated. There also appeared soybeans, red beans and black soybeans that were the fruits of agricultural labor. The technique of growing spring onion, chives, garlic, radish and more than ten other vegetables was developed. The hothouse was used in winter to grow spring onion and hotbed chives. As for salt, wine, sugar, vinegar and honey, they were extensively used as condiments. Even the drinking of tea was not something unusual.
If we say that a Chinese is an enigma and Chinese culture is also an enigma, then the ideological core of Chinese culture is the most enigmatic of all enigmas.
The core of culture, the ideological nucleus of a nation, is the general program of the existence and development of the nation. Once we seize hold of the general program, everything falls into place. Only when we have taken full command of the ideological core of a nation’s culture, can we have a comparatively deep and thoroughgoing understanding of the nation’s cultural characteristics, cultural personality, cultural behavior and cultural psychology. That is to say, only when a Westerner has mastered the ideological core of Chinese culture can he/she look at a Chinese with understanding, with penetration, and with precision. It is for this reason that in previous articles I have introduced you to the influence that Chinese classical philosophy has had on her culture. Philosophy is abstruse, while culture in itself is concrete, vivid and lively.
love to share my knowledge about chinese herb and the way of keeping sexual health with you.Chinese culture and chinese symbol is an Enigma
Chinese food culture
Related articles:
Chinese food,dietary history
Article from articlesbase.com
Immigration to Hong kong
Immigration to Hong Kong or Hong Kong for work permits is fundamentally skilled workers and work permits of stay popular nowadays. The reason behind this is that the process if only 7-8 months and you do not need sencondly IELTS test report form for that. The Hong Kong Quality Migrant Admission Scheme QMAS say is entering a regime for foreigners wishing to come to Hong Kong to explore opportunities for employment or business. The scheme is quota-based and works on a points system. Young companies must take steps to settle in Hong Kong in getting a job or starting a business during the period of validity of the visa. In addition, you do not have to pay heavy charges for processing the visa office or immigration authorities. It is possible to obtain a work permit and residence / immigration from Hong Kong, if you are able to fulfill the following donated items. Hong Kong offers two different types of immigration that is
1. Hong Kong Quality Migrant skilled (QMS) professionals work permit.
2. Based on the achievements of Hong Kong immigration.
Hong Kong Quality Migrant qualified for work permits is a program based on quotas which aims to attract highly qualified people to settle in Hong Kong. The plaintiff need not obtain a job offer in advance before entering Hong Kong on a “skilled immigrants” transfer. Two sets of points system used to assess candidates.
Conditions:
To obtain a residence permit under the Hong Kong Quality Migrant skilled professionals work permit, you must obtain at least 80 points from 165.
Age Requirment:
The applicant must be aged 18 or above when filing a claim under the Plan.
Financial need The candidate must be able to demonstrate his ability to support and accommodate / herself and her dependents, if any, on its own financial resources without relying on public aid During his stay in Hong Kong.
a good reputation and the applicant should not have a criminal record or adverse immigration record Hong Kong or elsewhere.
Hong Kong Immigration Language proficiency:
The applicant must be fluent oral and written Chinese (Putonghua or Cantonese) or English.
Basis of educational qualification Requirement:
The applicant must fulfill the basic education requirement, generally a first degree from a standard university or tertiary institution. In special conditions, excellent technical experience, extra professional skills and / or experience and accomplishments supported by documentary evidence may be considered.
If the applicant does not provide satisfactory evidence that he meets all prerequisites above, the application will not be processed further and will be rejected immediately.
Candidates who are in a quota selection exercise will be issued with a letter of approval in principle by which they are invited to come to Hong Kong to attend an interview in person and present an original certificate of no -criminal conviction, or the equivalent, for each country or territory where he / she has lived for 12 months or more during the 10 years immediately preceding the date of issue of “approval in principle” letter, and produce original all documents presented when applying the Immigration Department for verification.
Dependents of an applicant are not necessary to arrive to Hong Kong to attend the interview. Approval in principle is not a proper approval of an entry visa under the scheme.
Hopefully,all the above information regarding hong kong immigration laws will be helpful for you.Once proper approval is granted to the candidate and his dependents, if any, will be issued with a visa entry for residence in Hong Kong under the scheme. The visa or permit sticker should be pasted to a blank visa page of the passport for presentation to an immigration officer on arrival in Hong Kong.
Further information about Immigration to Hong kong or worldwide immigration info visit:http://www.immigration-success.blogspot.com
This is julia Robert from California.Further information about Immigration to Hong kong or worldwide immigration info visit:http://www.immigration-success.blogspot.com
Article from articlesbase.com
Know This Before You Learn Chinese
The first question my students always ask me would be “Is Chinese hard to learn? I would say ‘YES, if you use the wrong method!’, so, for me, Chinese isn’t hard to learn at all, It’s just like when you first watch a magic trick, it’s amazing! But when you know the secret about it, you will be able to learn it very fast.
So what’s the best way to learn Chinese?
First, you need to know what category you want to be, I’ve divided learning Chinese into 3 category.
Category 1 – Beginner. If you just want to know a little bit about Chinese language, very basic conversation, and you won’t be using Chinese in your working environment. E.g. : Travelling.
Category 2 – Intermediate. You want to use Chinese Language as a verbal communications with your love one, family, and friends or even at work, but you won’t know how to read.
Category3 – Professional. You are doing business with Chinese in China, or you lived there and need to pick up the language ASAP, or you want to be a translator.
For beginner, just get some free lessons online.
For Intermediate and Professional, I would recommend you to read the following.
The fastest ways to learn Chinese, Speak Chinese are
We did a research and found out the best results would be as follow :-
- 1. Study on board. Go China and sign up a 6 months course. You’ll basically learn how to speak Chinese, how to read Chinese, understand it and use them in a correct way. This is a costly method, 6 months including accommodation + course fees + air ticket.
- 2. Buy a Chinese language software. There are lots of Chinese Language software that you can purchase online today, this software is great, especially if you are busy and unable to attend course, classes. But it’s quite limited unless you got some Chinese friends to practice with. Not that costly, most probably would be less than USD300.
- 3. Attend Chinese classes. This will be a substitute of Choice No 1, except you are doing it at your own country. Go to China town and I believe you can find one easily. But in long run, this is costly, it might takes you years to complete. Some Chinese teachers are quite boring because they tend to repeat the same chapter again and again.
We still recommend either Choice 1, or 2. Faster and more guaranteed. Choice 3, hmmm, depending how good the Chinese teachers are, you can ask around those friends who’ve successfully learn Chinese, ask them to recommend you the place.
Lastly, I wish you all the best in Learning Chinese
Jayden Yap is one of a very influential Chinese Language Expert. Most of the time he would travel around the globe sharing everything about Chinese cultural, chinese language.
He’s good in speaking both English and Chinese and he can easily teach you how you can speak Chinese like anyone can in the shortest time frame.
Most of his Free Chinese Lessons & Articles are listed at : http://www.LearnChineseForFree.com
Article from articlesbase.com
Learn Mandarin Chinese with eChineselearning
Mandarin Chinese is a category of Chinese dialects spoken across most of northern and southwestern China. The term “Mandarin” can also refer to Standard Mandarin, which is based on the Mandarin dialect spoken in Beijing. It is considered to be the standard for the People’s Republic of China. In 1.2 billion speakers of Chinese language family, native Mandarin Chinese speakers account for 70%, outnumbering any other languages in the world.
Why do most non-Chinese speakers choose to learn Mandarin Chinese? The reason is that Mandarin Chinese is understood by most Chinese people. As mentioned above, it is China’s national language. Basic communication, scholarly research, pursuing a career in China, no matter in which of them you are interested, learning Mandarin Chinese is a necessity as a bridge for communication. On the other hand, Mandarin Chinese is one of four official languages of Singapore. Chinese, actually Standard Mandarin – is one of the six official languages of the United Nations, so Mandarin Chinese plays an important role in the world.
Today, more and more people are seeing the benefits of learning the most widely spoken language in the world. Learning Chinese is not only fun and greatly satisfying but also can create valuable opportunities for students and working professionals in today’s changing world. We offer Chinese language learners a chance to study one-on-one with professional native Chinese teachers, even while being half way from around the world. As a premier Online Chinese school, eChineseLearning provides Chinese language learners an effective platform to help them achieve their Chinese learning goals in an incredibly efficient manner.
Our mission is to provide the best Chinese language education service worldwide at an affordable price. We are always focused on the needs of our customers, and offer them the best language learning experience.
Our management team consists of dynamic individuals with rich experience in Chinese language instruction from world-famous universities such as Stanford University, Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Beijing Language and Culture University, all working together to create the best possible product and language learning experience.
eChineseLearning is one of the biggest online Chinese learning School, it provides one-on-one live online Mandarin Chinese lessons for worldwide students to learn Mandarin. Our Mandarin Chinese teachers are professional and experienced in helping individuals learn Mandarin Chinese from different backgrounds and age groups. Our professional services guarantee that you can get the best Mandarin learning experience!
Article from articlesbase.com
Wonderful Chinese Women Await You On The Web
You don’t have to take a slow boat to China to find the Asian girl of your dreams. Today, you can introduce yourself to Chinese women by utilizing the worldwide web.
Many women in Asia generally, and China specifically, have an interest in meeting Western men. They are open to relocation to the United States, Canada, Britain, Europe, and the like. They see the internet as an effective tool to connect with men who desire a long-term relationship.
There are online dating services that specialize in uniting Chinese women and English speaking men. These services will provide you with a safe and efficient method of introducing yourself. Your search for a beautiful Chinese woman could begin with a click of the mouse.
There are more Chinese single women in China’s two largest cities today than ever before. These cities, Beijing and Shanghai, have many women who desire a fulfilling marriage. Of course, they’re not the only areas of the country where there are Chinese woman seeking men. This country of over 1.3 billion people has many Chinese girls searching for companionship. Many of them find there eyes looking westward.
Deciding to use an international dating service to find a Chinese woman pays dividends. A typical site will provide you with photos and facts about a particular woman. You can perform a specific search for someone who is of a particular age, height, and weight. You can specify smoker or non-smoker, drinker or non-drinker. You can even search based on their language practice and interests. By focusing your search, you increase the odds that you will find a compatible match.
Many beautiful Asian women would love the opportunity to explore life in the West. Dating websites that specialize in Asian female classifieds offer many hard working, decent, and caring Asian singles. Before you know it, you may establish a rapport with an Asian woman. This could lead to a deepening relationship based on mutual respect. In time, you may find yourself on a plane to meet face to face. Eventually you may find yourself walking down the aisle with your beautiful Chinese bride at your side.
Marriage in China is full of lovely tradition. The majority of Chinese women are of the Han nationality. They have specific marriage traditions, which many Western men have come to experience. Success with an online dating service featuring Chinese women seeking men is often the reason.
A typical, modern Chinese marriage day today involves the following:
* The bridal chamber is of elegant decoration and brightly lit for the bride as she prepares.
* In the country areas, the bride arrives for the ceremony carried in a sedan chair. In the city or other urban areas, the bridegroom meets the bride in a car.
* Firecrackers ignite and lively music plays when the bride arrives for the marriage ceremony. The music is often of a traditional nature. Confetti and bright ribbons rain down on the couple to bring them good luck.
* A prominent and prestigious person from the bride or bridegrooms place of work normally presides over the ceremony.
* After the formal ceremony, the couple stands next to each other and makes three bows. One bow is to Heaven, earth, and ancestors. The second bow is to both parents. The third bow is to each other.
* There is a banquet, frequently extravagant, to celebrate the union, as is common in many cultures.
A romance as the result of Chinese online dating may result in you one day enjoying these time-honored traditions. Of course, a single Chinese girl may be more than happy to do it up the Western world’s way.
The use of a Chinese dating service could bring you that much closer to true companionship. Chinese women who seek a relationship based on respect and shared values abound. Many of them use Chinese dating services to reach men who desire an Asian bride. They feel it’s their best hope to meet a man who can give them a new life in a new country. Many are willing to embrace Western culture and customs in exchange for a dignified relationship of true love.
The internet is an excellent resource for meeting a Chinese girl. Investigate legitimate and dignified sites that give you the opportunity to search for beautiful Chinese women. Who knows, one day she may become your Chinese bride.
John Abbot, is co-owner of a www.ChinaLoveMatch.net, a Quality Online Dating site. Married to a lovely Chinese Lady, and living in China, John knows and respects Chinese Women, Chinese People and Chinese Culture. For more good stuff By John on Online Dating, Chinese Women, International Relationships and Things Chinese go to http://www.ChinaLoveMatch.net and click on CLM eMagazine.
Article from articlesbase.com
Learning English Online Is Not As Complicated As Many Think
English is one of the most widely spoken languages and is indeed a language that could be called the business language of the world. As English is being used almost everywhere, people all over the world are making an effort to become familiar with the nitty gritty of this language and most of them are going in for learning English online. Apart from the business benefits, there are lot many other benefits of learning English language and one such benefit is amplification in the employment opportunities.
Learning English Vital For Travelers
People who are usually on their go, irrespective of the reason behind travel need to become familiar with English language so that they could voice their opinion in a way that is acceptable and is going to be appreciated by others. International travelers who want to learn English but do not have any time to attend those physical tuition classes can surely go in for this online method of learning. It does not matter as to what degree one wants to learn English as one can easily find an English tutor who holds expertise of that level and can make one know what English language is all about.
Online English Tutors Help One Score High
There are many countries that ask for the person to go through an English language exam in order to find out whether that person will be able to adapt to the country’s language pattern or not. If this is the case, then the importance of good English language tutors multiples many a times. There are many reasons why the popularity of online classes in increasing and one of them is the comfort and flexibility. There are many good online tutors present out there that can teach one the basics of English language as per the candidate’s preferable time schedules.
There is a great competitive world outside and by learning the basics of English language one can move ahead in this world with confidence. Another benefit of learning English language online is that the cost is quite less than the physical way of learning English. If one has a personal computer at home along with an internet connection, one needs to get going on the path of finding a good English tutor. When one finds a good tutor, one needs to make some serious efforts to learn this language.
If one thinks that there is any risk factor involved with the online learning methodology, then one can go in for the trail classes that are usually free. If one focuses in the right direction, then English language can be learnt without any kind of hassles.
For more information on learning English and English tutor Australia , Please visit http://www.academicchamber.com/
Article from articlesbase.com
Have you ever dreamed about Learning Mandarin? Here are some tips to get your started
Whenever people ask me if there was one language I would absolutely love to learn,my answer would probably be Mandarin. Not only is the whole Chinese culture fascinating and how the characters can be traced right back to the Han Dynasty in 206 BC but also the amount of subfamilies within the language family that it encompasses from Tibetan to Karen. This language is ever expanding and evolving and is beautiful to listen to and to speak moreover that is why I would love to learn and speak Mandarin confidently.
Well then, you want to know how to learn Mandarin? Well let me tell you something that you will be very glad to hear. That is Mandarin has one of the easiest and basic tone systems which consist of four basic tones. So before you become intimidated on how difficult this language can be, think of the positives and how beneficial it will be if you can master this language and complete your learn Mandarin course.
So how then can you learn Mandarin in an interactive way as maybe you are a kinesthetic learner so need your lessons to be more practical orientated? Let’s go through a few steps that you can put into your learning timeline on a website you choose to join up to.
Firstly, if you own an iPod, you can sign up to receive free podcasts from iTunes. You can also download lessons on the website in a video or audio form to your computer representing you with a tutor who trains you on how to say things. Also when you start to learn Mandarin make sure you look at the course outline so that you can see exactly what is taught in what stage of the learning process so that you do not start at a level which you are not ready for.
Secondly, you can go back to and assess new chinese characters when you learn Mandarin or words and sentences you have learnt in an audio form. Also videos are great for this part. Make a mind map or take down notes, whichever you prefer, as you watch and listen to these helpful resources.
Finally, there are a few games and exercises when you learn Mandarin online. This is a practical way where you can look into what you’re learning by challenging your increasing knowledge with missing sentences or flash cards which put your understanding of new words, phrases and tones to the test. This is a learning process so enjoy it and don’t get to overwhelmed with heaps of learning but make use of the online resources, making the most out of your learning experience when you learn Mandarin for the first time.
Another great way to learn Mandarin is by attending a school or college that offers the course, maybe starting an evening class which will give you the key to accessing valuable books and materials that will give you effective guidance and help when you learn Mandarin.
Have you ever wanted to learn the chinese language but have absolutely no idea how to go about it ? Discover How Anyone Can Learn Chinese With Traditional Methods Using This Step By Step Program. http://www.learnchineselanguage.net/
Article from articlesbase.com
Chinese Cultures vs. Japanese Cultures
According to the legend, it was the China emperor Shi Huang Di’s craving for an eternal life that he assigned his assistant to look for the plant that could make him prolongs his life forever. The plant was called Ling Zhi, appearing only once in 3000 years and it was rumored that anyone who drinks the soup of Ling Zhi would have eternal life. The assistant eventually came to realize that the myth was merely a myth yet he did not want to risk his life returning to the emperor empty-handed.
He then lied to the emperor that in order to obtain the plant he would need 500 young women, men, and children. His emperor did not hesitate to fulfill his assistant’s demands, with thoughts that he was nearer to getting the plant. The assistant ignored the emperor’s summons and moved to an island to avoid the emperor which was Japan. He became the first emperor of Japan and spread Japanese knowledge where if you notice deeper, is never too different from the Chinese language.
Looking into the cultures, the most famous Japanese culture is the tea ceremony. It is a compulsory protocol during the formal and other significant occasions. In fact, it is not merely a simple tea ceremony. There are specific rules including the ways to hold onto a tea cup, sipping and even the position of the lid. However many are unaware that the tea originated from China. Tea drinking is also a norm in Chinese culture. Water is substituted with tea due to its medicinal effect towards human body. The tea ceremony is also one important procedure during Chinese weddings.
When talking about costumes, the Japanese culture of wearing kimono resembles the traditional Chinese Han costumes. In actual fact, cheongsam and Sam-fu were not the traditional Chinese costumes. They are specifically the clothing of Chinese Man people. The white powder used by the Japanese was also found in Guangzhou, China. It was also a common Chinese culture to apply the white powder onto their faces and the blood red lip color, especially among the opera singers. Besides, similarities can also be seen in the Japanese and Chinese architecture. Both cultures apply the oriental building style.
However, Chinese these days are becoming more westernized. The Chinese are never better than the Japanese where they show good spirits in defending their Japanese culture.
Stuart is writing for many websites, He enjoys writing on wide range of topics such as Compare Side by Side and Compare it Yourself. You may visit for more details.
Article from articlesbase.com
A Renaissance of Chinese Culture
Over the past four years, under the auspices of New Tang Dynasty TV (NTDTV), a group of artists and scholars have breathed new life into Chinese culture. Together they have produced a world class annual cultural show that is bringing about a renaissance of ancient Chinese culture and traditons. Their annual global Chinese New Year Spectacular is touring the world’s top theaters around the globe. In just a few short years the production has grown from seven performances in five cities in 2004, to 76 performances in 30 cities in 2007. Audiences have swelled, in turn, with last year’s shows landing on Billboard Magazine’s number seven slot for most successful productions. But the real story lies not in the figures, however striking they may be, but in the meaning of it all. Behind the numbers is a tale of tragedy, perseverance, hope, and renewal.
After the takeover in China by the communists in 1949, traditional Chinese culture and spiritual traditions were destroyed and outlawed. Almost all the temples and many invaluable art treasures were smashed and burned. They, the communists, then went ahead to change history books and brainwashing generations of Chinese with party culture, class struggle and Marxist ideology.
Many of the show’s artists and creators have firsthand experience of the oppression of traditional culture and human rights. One of them is artistic director Rutang Chen who went through the pain and humiliation of the Cultural Revolution. He and his wife were separated and sent to the countryside to be “reformed” through hard labor—all for the crime of being artists who played the cello and flute. Years later, when they were allowed to play their instruments again in China’s leading Central Symphony Orchestra, all classical and traditional music had to be scrapped in favor of patriotic songs. Many orchestras were disbanded altogether.
With NTDTV’s shows, gone are the red flags of Chinese communism. Gone are the pirouetting People’s Liberation Army soldiers. Gone are all those lyrics crafted to stir patriotism. In their absence is a cultural space that has been missing for years.
Instead, NTDTV’s Spectacular serves up China’s best traditional arts in all their glory, vigor, and spiritual robustness. Many traditional Chinese instruments are used, and costumes are faithfully recreated from old manuscripts, paintings and pottery. Everything, including the magnificent backdrops, evoke the grandeur of China’s great dynasties and legends of remote history.
You can see it in each carefully placed step of the Lotus Arts Troupe dancers. You can hear it in the deep, heartfelt playing of the Erhu, an ancient Chinese two-stringed violin. And you can feel it in each act—that intangible ingredient that makes the difference between ordinary and magical.
This is Chinese culture brought to life by people who live it. But it’s also culture meant to inspire, ennoble, and nurture its audience. Unlike shows produced in China, where under communist rule today much of the arts is like a plastic veneer, playing to the fancy of the passing tourist, the NTDTV show runs deep—true to the profound, 5,000 year-old culture of China.
Between January and March the 2007 NTDTV Chinese New Year Spectacular tours Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington, DC, and major cities in Canada, Europe and Asia.
John Augustyn writes about traditional Chinese culture and art. For more info about the NTDTV Chinese New Year Spectacular in your city/area, please visit:
http://shows.ntdtv.com
http://www.ntdtv.com
Article from articlesbase.com
